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Topic: Source for #7 hardware cloth (Read 15152 times)

I recently built some SBBs / oil traps to help control and monitor SHB and mites. They work great except for one thing - a few small bees get through the #6 hardware cloth and drown along with the nasties. I'm affraid that #8 would be small enough to save some of the hive beetles - although I know that many of them would go through. I think #7 would be just the thing if I can get it.

Anyway, does anyone know of a source for #7 cloth - preferably without ordering an entire roll, but I would even consider that.

In case anyone's interested:

As you can see I'm using an easily available disposable turkey pan that just happens to work about right with my 8 frame boxes. This design does not allow any ventilation - I'm going to add closable vents, but with small screen to keep SHBs from going in through the vents. A sticky board will go right in the top slot. The thing is pretty deep, but that's not bad because a shallow pan full of oil would be pretty messy I think. Amazing how much junk lands in the oil.

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"It ain't what you don't know that gets you into trouble. It's what you know for sure that just ain't so." Samuel Clemens

I must admit that I am not sure of the size of #7 hardware cloth, but I ordered # 8 from McMaster Carr online. They have many sizes to choose from and they usually get the order out the same day. They list it showing the size of the opening of the square.

Here is info from Betterbee web page. I bought the #7 also when building the SBB's and it worked great. Hope the #8 wire is not to fine for what you hope to accomplish. Even so it can be used for other parts as well.

#5 Mesh: Use for pollen trap screens. When the bees squeeze through this size screen, a certain percentage of the pollen that they are carrying in their sacks is dislodged and falls through the screen covering the pollen collection drawer.

#6 Mesh: Use for making varroa screens.

#7 Mesh: Use for the screen that covers the pollen collection drawer. (Note: #8 mesh is too fine and will stop some of the pollen grains from going through the screen and #6 mesh will let the bees through.)

#8 Mesh: Use for moving screens and varroa screens - anywhere you don't want the bees to go.

Kind of an older post, but I sent my retired dad on a mission to find this. He is the type that has the uncanny ability to find the proverbial needle in the haystack and he reported that he went to a little mom and pop harware store outside of Chatsworth, GA. They were currently out of it it but had a roll on order to be in within a few days. Kind of a long roadtrip for you from Cookeville, but I will let you know the particulars when I get it. A few bucks a foot for 3ft wide.

Kind of an older post, but I sent my retired dad on a mission to find this. He is the type that has the uncanny ability to find the proverbial needle in the haystack and he reported that he went to a little mom and pop harware store outside of Chatsworth, GA. They were currently out of it it but had a roll on order to be in within a few days. Kind of a long roadtrip for you from Cookeville, but I will let you know the particulars when I get it. a few bucks a foot for 3ft wide.

There's a pretty good old fashioned hardware store near me, but they don't have #7 (they do have #6 and #8) and I looked online with them at their wholesale website for true value hardware, and either they don't stock it or it's tucked away in an obscure part of the site away from the other hardware cloth. I appreciate your effort, if your Dad has the number for that store maybe I can find out who the wholesaler is and get a roll shipped directly to me. Thanks.

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"It ain't what you don't know that gets you into trouble. It's what you know for sure that just ain't so." Samuel Clemens

I found that "Do it Yourself" Hardware stores will order whatever size you need in full rolls and when shipped as a stock order there is no shipping fee. I ordered some for SBBs and it was received in less than a week. I believe they have a website where you can find a store close to you. "True Value Hdwe" sore locally would not do this for me.

Bruce

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"Political correctness is a doctrine, fostered by a delusional, illogical minority, and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a turd by the clean end."

I don't think I have seen a SHB large enough that could NOT fall through #8. And I have plenty of SHBs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

When you posted that reply it made me wonder if I was 100% sure that I had seen SHB that wouldn't fit through #8, but then this morning I found this guy on a sticky board:

So, unless that is some other beetle that just looks exactly like a SHB, then as you can see (that is #8 hardware cloth that he is on) some of them are too big to go through #8. I wish it wasn't so.

He was alive, but moving slow because of the cool weather so I'm thinking (hoping) that the bees may root most of them out over the winter. I'm going to put the oil trays back in to make sure they don't get back up once they fall down.

BTW, better bee contacted me and said that their website was incorrect, and they don't have any #7, so I'm still looking again. I think when (if) I find some I will absolutely spring for a whole roll.

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"It ain't what you don't know that gets you into trouble. It's what you know for sure that just ain't so." Samuel Clemens

It took several tries to get him to balance there while I took the picture. I'm pretty sure they can get through #7 too. They don't have to just accidentally fall through because the bees chase them around and I believe they will climb through it on purpose. Just looking at #6 you wouldn't think that bees can get through it but they do.

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"It ain't what you don't know that gets you into trouble. It's what you know for sure that just ain't so." Samuel Clemens

I won't say that he's wrong, and I haven't listened to that podcast, but just looking at that picture if I can at all I'm gonna find some #7. If it just isn't to be had then I'll probably try it with #8 and see how it works. I still have a few months before it really matters.

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"It ain't what you don't know that gets you into trouble. It's what you know for sure that just ain't so." Samuel Clemens

Bugger, I may have found this thread a few days too late.I'm currently making some SBB for the war I have waged against the SHB and have just bought some Stainless Steel mesh but fear the aperture may be too big.It is 6 mesh and the gap is 3.3mm (0.1299").Any ideas if the holes will allow the bees through or not? Don't want to drown the bees too :?What is the smallest size that is considered small enough for a bee to squeeze through?Thanks

The mesh needs to be large enough so the beetles fall through easily (#6 .035 aluminum or galvanized steel, where #6 means 6x6 wires per inch and .035 is the diameter of the wire) and too small for the bees to get through.